Yuki's fist connected with the massive boulder, sending cracks splintering through it before it exploded into fragments, scattering hot shards in every direction. She was now in her third day of training with Kiyara, out in the Stoneglow Basin, where the early dawn light cast long shadows over the stone-filled terrain.
"You're pretty good at this, Yuki!" Kiyara's voice boomed from a hundred feet away, a smirk playing on her lips as she effortlessly lifted another car-sized boulder above her head.
Yuki's eyes widened. "You can't be serious…" she muttered, bracing herself.
Kiyara launched the boulder with a speed that made it blur through the air, its surface turning a faint orange from the friction heat. Yuki's Nyren—dark flames tinged with blue—flared around her left arm as she raised her fist to meet it. With an explosive impact, the boulder shattered, molten chunks scattering back toward Kiyara.
"Whoa! That's unfair!" Kiyara laughed, barely dodging as the molten fragments slammed into the ground beside her, steaming where they landed. Yuki glanced at her arm, astonished to see the Nyren blazing across her entire forearm, the black-and-blue flames dancing with newfound intensity.
"How… did I do that?" Yuki wondered aloud, flexing her fingers. "It was like the rock melted on contact. Is this even Nyren anymore?"
While Yuki marveled, Kiyara's smirk widened, and she took advantage of the distraction. She gathered a dozen more boulders around herself, her eyes gleaming with mischief, and began hurling them at Yuki in rapid succession, each throw faster than the last.
"Take that, and that, and that!" Kiyara's voice was giddy as her arms moved in a blur, the speed of her throws breaking the sound barrier. The smaller stones around her scattered, rattling from the impact.
Vision Black And Blue..
The hairs on Yuki's arm prickled as the first boulder neared her, too close to dodge in time. She barely managed to dart to the side, feeling the whoosh of air as the boulder hurtled past, smashing into the ground with a deafening crack. She didn't have a moment to recover before another boulder came at her, then another.
"They're everywhere!" Yuki's thoughts raced as her Nyren instinctively spread to her legs, giving her enough speed to weave through the onslaught. She ducked, rolled, and sprang over each boulder with surprising agility, her tail flicking against the ground to propel her in mid-air.
Kiyara paused to catch her breath, watching Yuki in awe. "I know I've said this before, but how are you manifesting Nyren this fast?"
Yuki staggered to her feet, her chest heaving. "Why… why did you throw so many boulders at me?" she yelled, barely managing to keep her balance.
Kiyara stiffened at the outburst, her bear ears pressing flat against her head as she scratched the back of her neck. "Hey, you started it! Flaming rocks? I could've lost my hair, you know!" She ran her fingers through her shiny pink hair, looking genuinely distressed.
Yuki sighed, placing her hands on her hips. "So… what was I supposed to learn from all this? That life's fleeting?"
Kiyara took a deliberate step forward, clearing her throat loudly before meeting Yuki's glare with a newfound sense of authority. "Alright, here's the lesson," she began, nodding toward the distant mountain. "Beyond using Nyren to boost your physical abilities, there's another application: Viranokta. 'Vira' means 'to see,' and 'nokta'… means 'future.'"
Yuki's irritation faded into curiosity, her arms crossing as she tilted her head. "Nyren can do that? Are you pulling my tail?"
Kiyara's expression softened as she pressed a finger to Yuki's forehead, causing her to flinch. "Not quite," she explained. "It doesn't actually let you see the future, but it's close. You're forcing Nyren to rush up to your brain, letting your body predict incoming movements. It's not prophecy—it's intuition."
"So… it's like what happened with Tatsuya back when we fought that King Spider," Yuki mused, remembering the synergy they'd shared. "Except… with Nyren?"
But Kiyara's grin had taken on a dangerous edge. "This is great!" she exclaimed, her eyes gleaming. "Now that you're learning Viranokta, we can spar properly!"
Yuki froze. "We? As in… we?"
"Exactly!" Kiyara said, grabbing Yuki by the shoulders, her voice buzzing with excitement. "It's the best way to practice Nyren in real combat."
Yuki's face went blank as she imagined another sparring session with Kiyara's boulders flying at her like cannonballs.
***
Later that night, Yuki returned to the cabin with exhausted eyes, her footsteps heavy as she trudged through the doorway. Tatsuya sat on the bed with his back turned to her, a half-finished mechanical gauntlet in his hands. He was channeling mana through his fingers, drawing small metal components into place with precision.
"I… need a bath," Yuki groaned, leaning against the door as she glanced at the wooden basin in the corner.
Tatsuya turned, raising an eyebrow at her disheveled state. Cuts and bruises dotted her arms, and her cloak was tattered, covered in dirt and grime. "Whoa. Who messed you up?"
Yuki threw him a tired glare. "Just shut up and set the water," she muttered.
Tatsuya shrugged, setting aside his gauntlet and crossing the room. He placed the basin in the middle of the cabin, filling it with a steady stream of heated water from his hand. "Glad I chose books over boulders," he mumbled with a smirk, glancing at Yuki's beaten state. "Fighting Kiyara sounds like a nightmare."
When the basin was full, he gave her a nod before stepping outside, leaving her alone to bathe. Yuki sighed as she sank into the warm water, scrubbing away the day's dirt and sweat. Yet, even as the warmth seeped into her muscles, her thoughts kept drifting.
"Tatsuya…" She stared down at her own reflection, a pang of something unnameable tightening her chest. "He's been distant. Maybe it's for the best."
After her bath, Yuki dried off and slipped into a black nightgown left on the bed. She gave a small twirl, watching the fabric swirl around her legs, marveling at the unfamiliar sensation against her skin.
"I've never worn anything but my cloak," she murmured. "It feels… nice."
The door creaked open, and she turned with a start, her hands instinctively clasping behind her back. Tatsuya entered, holding a small, yellow cube-shaped fruit, his gaze shifting as he noticed her change in attire. Yuki looked away, her cheeks flushed.
"Is that… for me?"
"Yeah, it's a melamelon," Tatsuya said, smiling. "Reminds me of something from my old world, thought you'd like it."
She reached out, taking the fruit from him before setting it on the bedside table, but when she turned back, she noticed the tension in his expression. He seemed… conflicted.
Yuki shivered, her nerves catching up with her. Tatsuya sat on the bed, patting the spot beside him. She hesitated, her heart pounding, but finally sat down, her movements quiet.
"She's more tense than usual," Tatsuya thought, a faint blush rising to his cheeks. Testing a theory, he scooted closer, and Yuki gasped, falling back onto the bed. They locked eyes, her ears twitching as she tried to keep a neutral expression.
"Well," he began, his voice soft, "I've noticed you've been… different since we got here. And I don't really know much about… well, how girls think. So… do you… like me?"
Yuki froze, staring at the wall in a daze before finally responding. "If… if you mean that kind of 'like,' then no." She took a deep breath, her voice trembling as she looked back at him. "But… I want to be closer to you, Tatsuya. We've always been… distant. And after you saved me, then wiped away my tears… I just… I want to be closer."
Her voice broke, and her eyes began to glisten with unshed tears. Tatsuya's expression softened, and he felt something shift within him, an unspoken promise surfacing in his mind.
He whispered, his voice warm, "I promise… I'll cherish you, Yuki."
With that, he lay down beside her, pulling her into a gentle embrace. She tensed at first, but eventually nestled into his arms, resting her head against his chest, while his hand softly stroked her ears.
"So, melamelon after this?" he asked, chuckling softly.
She shot him a half-hearted pout, and he just laughed, accepting her silent answer. In each other's arms, under the soft moonlight filtering through the cabin window, they felt something indescribable settle between them. It wasn't romantic love. But it was familiar, grounding, something they'd both craved without ever naming it.
Simultaneously, they thought to themselves, This is what it feels like, to truly be cherished.